Road barrier



June so, 1959 2 2 E. W. JACKOBOICE ROAD BARRIER Filed May 28, 1956 Edwardwduokobokz gflw f WM United States Patent ROAD BARRIER Edward W.Jackoboice, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application May 28, 1956, Serial No. 587,628

3 Claims. (Cl. 160-135) This invention relates to a road barrier usedfor a temporary obstruction on a road. The barrier is intended to beplaced across a road when it is under repair or when for other reasonsit is desired that traflic on the road be stopped.

Because of its temporary use, the barrier must be easily portable sothat it can be moved from place to place or stored when not in use andthis invention provides a barrier which can be collapsed into small sizefor transportation or storing.

The barrier comprises generally a lazy tongs structure which iscollapsible or extensible longitudinally and at each end it has a pairof legs pivotally joined at their upper ends. The lower ends of the legsmay be spread apart to firmly support the barrier when it is extended orthey can be moved toward each other when the barrier is collapsed fortransportation.

Mechanism is provided which will automatically spread the legs when thelazy tongs structure is extended and will move the legs toward eachother when the lazy tongs is collapsed.

The invention provides various novel features of construction andarrangement hereafter more fully described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one end portion of the barrier incollapsed condition,

Fig. 2 shows the parts of Fig. 1 with the barrier extended,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the barrier shown collapsed as in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 shows the parts of Fig. 3 extended as in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the pivotal connections of theupper ends of the legs with the lazy tongs structure, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing the pivotal connection of thelower part of the lazy tongs to the cross bar which connects the twolegs.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The lazy tongs structure comprises a plurality of bars 1 arranged incrossed pairs pivotally connected together at their longitudinal centersat 2 and having their extremities pivotally connected to the extremitiesof adjacent pairs at 3. This lazy tongs structure can be collapsed orextended and when collapsed as in Fig. 1 its vertical dimension isgreater than when extended as in Fig. 2.

The upper end of the end bar 1 of the structure is pivotally connectedat 4 to a T-shaped bracket 5 to which also are pivotally attached, inspaced relation at 6, the upper ends of the legs 7. The lower end of theend bar 1 of the structure is pivotally connected at 8 to an L- shapedbracket 9 which is also pivotally connected at 10 to a cross bar 11extending between the legs 7.

The cross bar 11 is pivotally connected at 12 with one of the legs 7between its upper and lower ends and the other end of the cross bar ispivotally connected at 2,892,492 Patented June 30, -9

13 with a sleeve 14 which is slidably mounted on the other of said legs7.

Figs. 1 and 2 show only an end portion of the barrier having a pair oflegs 7 and connecting members but it is to be understood that the otherend of the barrier, not shown, is identical with that shown anddescribed and has an identical pair of legs 7 and connecting members.

Operation Assuming the barrier to be in collapsed position as shown inFigs. 1 and 3, with the legs 7 close together, it is extended by pullingoutwardly at its ends. In doing this, the lazy tongs structure willstretch out longitudinally and at the same time reduce its verticaldimension causing the extremities of the end bars 1 to move toward eachother.

Now the lower end of the end bar 1 being pivotally connected to thecross bar 11 at its mid portion by the bracket 9, will cause the crossbar 11 to swing upwardly about its pivot 12 at one end and its other endbeing pivotally connected to the sleeve 14 at 13 will move the sleeveupwardly on its leg 7 thus causing the legs to spread at their lowerends as in Fig. 4.

The distance of extension of the lazy tongs structure will govern theamount of spread of the legs. When extended less than its full limit thelegs will be spread less than when the lazy tongs is fully extended butbecause it presents less area when only partially extended, it does notrequire so much stability.

When collapsing the barrier, the motion of the parts is reversed and thesleeve 14 moves downward upon its leg 7 causing the legs to move towardeach other and when fully collapsed the barrier is reduced to a verycompact small size so that it is easy to handle and move from place toplace and store when not in use.

The invention is defined by the appended claims which are to beconsidered comprehensive of all forms coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a collapsible andextensible body, a pair of legs at each end of the body and meansactuated by collapsing and extending said body acting to move said legsof each pair toward each other when the body is collapsed and to spreadsaid legs apart when said body is extended.

2. A device of the class described comprising an extensible andcollapsible lazy tongs structure having crossed and pivoted bars at itsrespective ends, a pair of legs pivotally connected at their upper endsto the upper extremity of one of each pair of said end bars and meansconnecting said legs of each pair together, said connecting means beingpivotally connected with the lower extremity of one of each pair of saidend bars and acting to spread apart or move toward each other the legsof each pair upon extension or collapsing of said lazy tongs structure.

3. The elements of claim 2 in combination in which said means for movingsaid legs comprises a cross bar having one end pivotally connected toone leg and the other end pivotally connected to a sleeve slidablymounted on the other of said legs, said lower extremity of the end barof the lazy tongs being pivotally connected to said cross bar betweenits ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS141,750 Becher Aug. 12, 1873 774,487 Marten Nov. 8, 1904 2,221,357 Mooreet al. Nov. 12, 1940 2,751,176 Mowry June 19, 1956

